Method and fixture for truss fabricating



June 25, 1968 w, G. MOEHLENPAHV 3,

METH OD AND FIXTURE FOR TRUSS FABRICATING I Filed Oct. 51, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 25, 1968 w. 5. MOEHLENPAH 3,389,528

METHOD AND FIXTURE FOR TRUSS FABRIGATING Filed Oct. 31, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 25, 1968 w. G. MOEHLENPAH 3,389,528

METHOD AND FIXTURE FOR TRUSS FABRICATING 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 31, 1966 H63.

w. G. MOEHLENPAH 3,389,528

METHOD AND FIXTURE FOR TRUSS FABRICATING June 25, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 31, 1966 United States Patent 3,389,528 METHOD AND FIXTURE FOR TRUSS FABRICATING Walter G. Moehlenpah, Ladue, Mo., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Hydro-Air Engineering, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filled (let. 31, 1966, Ser. No. 596,039 9 Claims. (Cl. 52-441) only to a heel pedestal rather than from a heel and a 1 panel point pedestal; the provision of such a fixture wherein the slope of the upper chord relative to the lower chord is variable to predetermined slopes by adjustment of the fixture; the provision of such a fixture wherein the spacing between heel and panel point pedestals can be adjusted Without varying the slope of the upper chord relative to the lower chord; the provision of such a fixture which eliminates the need for establishing a peak angle in order to form the heel angles of the truss; the provision of such a fixture which does not obstruct or interfere with movement of an operator to positions along the top of the truss; the provision of such a fixture which is easily removed from the heel and panel point pedestals so the pedestals can be used for fabricating other types of trusses; the provision of such a fixture which is economical, easily adjustable for fabricating different size trusses, and is easily mountable on pedestals of truss fabricating apparatus; and to an improved method for fabricating hip trusses wherein heel angles and upper chord lengths are varied from the heel of the truss. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions and methods hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective showing a fixture of this invention being used with apparatus for fabricating a hip truss;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the FIG. 1 fixture; and

FIGS. 3-6 are enlarged detail sections taken along lines 3--3 through 6-6 of FIG. 2.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a fixture of this invention is particularly useful for establishing the desired spatial relation between a heel pedestal 1 and a panel point pedestal 3 of apparatus used for fabricating hip trusses or other wood structures. Pedestals 1 and 3 are substantially identical to each other and may be constructed similar to the pedestals shown and described in the Moehlenpah et al. United States Patent 3,069,684. Pedestal 1 and a similar pedestal are mounted on a channel-shape track 7 having on its upper surface a pair of spaced rails 9. Pedestal 3 is mounted on casters or wheels 11 (FIGS. 1 and 6). Pedestal 1 receives and accurately locates the ends of a lower chord 13 and an inclined upper chord 15 of the hip truss. Pedestal 3 receives and locates the other end of the upper chord 15 and one end of a top chord 17 which is generally parallel to the 3,389,528 Patented June 25, 1968 lower chord 13. Pedestals 3 and 5 also locate end portions of web members designated 19 and 21. Nailing plates 23 are positioned above and below the intersection of the various chord or web members 13, 17, 19 and 21 and are driven into the members during assembly of the truss. The manner in which the truss members are located and assembled together is more fully described in the aforementioned patent.

The angle formed by the intersection of the lower chord 13 and the upper chord 15 of a truss is the heel angle or slope of the truss. When it is desired to change this heel angle (as may be required when the apparatus is being adjusted to fabricate hip trusses for different roofs), or when the length of the upper chord 15 is to be increased or decreased (such as occurs when manufacturing several hip trusses for the same roof), then the relative location between pedestals 1 and 3 must be varied. The fixture of this invention provides means for quickly and accurately changing the heel angle and adjusting the distance between the heel and panel point pedestals for varying the length of the upper chord.

The fixture of the invention comprises an elongate guide 25 which receives a slide 27 and fixes the slide in various adjusted positions relative to the guide. As best shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the guide 25 comprises upper and lower plates 29 and 31 which are spaced apart at one side edge by a pair of pins 33 secured to the inner surfaces of the plates at opposite ends of the plates. The other side edges of the plates are spaced apart by a pair of walls 35 perpendicular to the upper and lower plates. The guide is open at both ends. Guide 25 is supported by legs 37 depending from the bottom plate 31.

Slide 27 is preferably generally channel shape (FIG. 4) and includes a web portion 27a and depending flanges 27b and 270 at the side edges of the web. The width and height of the slide 27 permits the slide to be passed through the guide from one open end of the guide to the other open end thereof with flanges 27b and 270 being adjacent the pins 33 and walls 35. Locking pins or clamps 39 are threaded through nuts 41 welded on the outer surface of each wall 35 around a hole in the wall. Pins 39 are adjusted inwardly against flange 27c of the slide until the slide is frictionally gripped between pins 39 and the pins 33 of the guide, thereby clamping the slide in position in the guide. As shown in FIG. 2, the longitudinal axis of guide 25 and slide 27 is parallel to and offset from the longitudinal axis of chord 15. Guide 25 is mounted on pedestal 1 so that this parallel relation is maintained when the guide is adjusted relative to pedestal 1. The outer end of the slide is supported by a foot (FIG. 2).

The guide 25 is pivotally mounted on pedestal 1 in the manner best illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings. The guide mounting means comprises a channel-shaped arm 43 having one end of its web portion welded to the upper surface of guide plate 29. The other end of arm 43 is pivoted about a mounting bracket generally designated 45. Bracket 45 includes a base plate 47 which is welded to the inner surface of a side wall of pedestal 1. Projecting outwardly from plate 47 are two spaced and generally parallel horizontal plates 49 and 51 which are braced by a vertical plate 53 (FIG. 3). Mounting flanges 55 and 57 project from the upper surface of plate 49 and the lower surface of plate 51. These flanges are welded to the horizontal plates and have aligned holes 59 and 61 therethrough.

A fiange 63 mounted on the arm 43 has a hole 65 through it which is adapted to be aligned with holes 59 and 61. When the holes are aligned as shown in FIG. 3

the shank portion of a locking pin 67 is inserted through the aligned holes to prevent lateral movement of flange 63 and arm 43 relative to bracket 45 and thereby mount the guide 25 on the bracket for pivotal movement about the substantially vertical axis of the pin 67. Pin a; has a head 69 which rests on the upper surface of the flange 63 to prevent the pin from dropping through the holes. An arm 71 on the pin head 69 is connected by a rope or cable 73 to the bracket 45 so that the pin will not be lost when the fixture is not in use. The edges of the chords 13 and are located on pedestal 1 by adjustment on the chord locating members comprising part of pedestal 1 so that the chords intersect along an extension of the axis of pin 67. Thus the guide is mounted so that it can be pivoted in a generally horizontal plane about a substantially vertical axis passing through the heel pedestal substantially at the end of the lower chord on the heel ped estal, and at the point at which the lower edge of this chord contacts or meets the lower edge of the upper chord. This location of the axis about which guide 25 moves keeps the longitudinal axis of guide 25 and slide 27 parallel to the longitudinal axis of chord 15.

Pedestal 1 is fixed on track 7 by a bracket 75 shown in FIGS. 1-3. Bracket 75 includes an angle member '77 welded to the lower part of the outer face of a wall of pedestal 1. End plates 79 secured to the angle 77 project downwardly along the sides of the rails 9 of the track. A locking pin 81 is adjustable through one of the plates '79 to bear against the rail 9 shown at the left in FIG. 3 so that by tightening the pin 81 the other plate '79 will be held tightly against the rail 9 shown at the right to thereby clamp the bracket 75 (and thus the pedestal 1) onto track 7. Inadvertent upward movement of the mounting bracket 75 and pedestal 1 relative to track '7 is prevented by a lip 83: secured to the plate 79 shown at the right in FIG. 3 and projecting inwardly immediately beneath the rail 9.

Attached to the guide 25 are means for fixing the guide in various adjusted angular positions relative to the lower chord and track 7. This means is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 to comprise a tie bar 5 having one end portion pivoted to guide 25 by a pin 87 which passes through the tie bar and through plates 2h and 31 of the guide. There are a plurality of staggered holes 89 through the other end portion of the tie bar. Holes 8% are used for fixing the tie bar relative to a mounting bracket generally designated 91 which is mounted on the end of pedestal 1 opposite from the bracket 75.

Bracket 91 comprises an angle member 93 which is attached to the pedestal 1 by mounting bolts 95. Another angle member 97 has a horizontal flange which is attached to an arm 99. The arm is welded to the bottom of the horizontal flange of angle 93. End plates 101 secured to opposite ends of angle 97 project downwardly along opposite sides of track 7. An inwardly directed lip 1 .13 on one of the end plates 101 is positioned along the underside of rail g shown at the right in FIG. 5 to prevent inadvertent upward movement of the bracket 91 relative to the rail and track. A stop member 165 is attached to the lower edge portion of the other end plate 161 by a bolt 107. When the heel pedestal 1 has been adjusted to the desired position, bracket 91 is clamped in place by a locking pin 1&9 which is adjustable inwardly through a nut 111 on end plate 161 into engagement with one rail 9 to pull the end plate 101 at the other end of the bracket against the other rail 9, thereby clamping bracket 91 in place. This clamping structure together with that described in connection with the bracket 75 comprise means for locking the pedestal 1 in the desired position.

The guide mounting means further comprises a U-shape mounting member 112 (FIGS. 2 and 5) having spaced upper and lower flanges 113 and 115 located in generally horizontal planes and secured to a generally vertical plate 117. Plate 117 is fixed to the angle 97 by bolts 119 which pass through slotted holes 121 in the angle member 97 and through holes in the plate 117. Slotted holes 121 permit some lateral adjustment of the base plate 117 relative to angle 97.

The flanges 113 and have holes 123 and 125, respectively, aligned with each other on a substantially vertical axis. A pin 127 is positionable in holes 123, and in a tie bar hole 53? when the latter is aligned with holes 123 and 125. Pin 13.7 has an enlarged head 129 which rests on top of the tie bar 35 to limit downward movement of the pin. An arm 131 attached to head 129 is also attached to one end of a rope or cable 133, the other end of which is attached to angle member 97. This arrangement prevents inadvertent loss of the pin 127. By removing pin 127 the tie bar 85 is released and the ide 25 may be swung an are about the axis of the pin 67 of the guide mountnig means. f /hen the desired slope or heel angle has been obtained the pin 127 is inserted through aligned holes 32, 123 and 125 to hold the guide in the desired angular position to thus locate and dete m n the i eel angle of the truss being assembled.

' a to F1 l, 2 and 6, the slide 27 is attached vdestal 3 by a channel shape arm 135 sided or otherv. secured to the outer d of slide 27 and by a mounting bracket generally dfated 137. Arm is substantially perpendicular to slide Brack- 137 includes a base 1"? c uprising four plates 141, 143, 1 35' and 11-47 which welded together as shown in FIG. 6 to form an open generally rectangular base member. Plate 141 welded or otherwise s cured to a side of pedestal 3. Flanges 149' and 151 are lded to the and outwardly se flanges are beyond the base. Holes aligned on a substantially vertica as shown in FIG. 6. Arm 135 on the end of the slide s a hole in it which is adapted to be ali d v 't'n holes 153 and 155. The holes when aligned receive a locking pin 15? to thereby fix the slide 26 relative to the panel point pedestal. The side of arm 135 is close enough to plate to prevent any significant pivotal movement of pedestal 3 about pin 159. A head 161 on the upper end of pin 159 is attached through an arm 1&3 to a cable 165 which in turn is connected to the bracket 137 so the locking pin will not be lost when it is removed from the holes in the flanges and the arm.

Referring now to F 1 and 2, the panel point pedestal 3 normally includes channel members 167 at its upper edges adapted to receive lumber stops 169 which are clamped to the channel members 157. The upper surfaces of channels 167 can be notched to locate the lumber stops for four, six or eight inch wide pieces of lumber, such facilitating proper location of the upper chord 15 by requiring only one lumber stop on the channel 167 and engagement between the lower end of the upper chord 15 and the bevelled surface of the lower chord 13 in order to properly align the upper chord.

Use of the fixture according to the method of the invention will now be described.

First the heel pedestal 1 is properly located by loosening the locking screws 81 and 165 and then moving the pedestal to the desired location. The spacing between the heel pedestal 1 and a similar pedestal at the other heel of the truss is determined by the desired total length of the lower chord 13. When pedestal 1 has been properly located the screws and 1&9 are again tightened to clamp pedestal 1 in place on track 7. Pedestal 5 and any other pedestal located at panel points along the lower chord 13 are moved along the track 7 and fixed in position in the usual manner.

Next the pin 127 is removed from the aligned holes in the tie bar 85 and the bracket 91. This releases the guide 25, slide 27 and the panel point pedestal 3 so that they can be swung in an are about the axis of the pivot pin 67 until the angle defined by the track 7 and the longitudnal axis of the guide 25 and the slide 27 defines the desired slope or heel angle for the truss to be fabricated. Since roof trusses normally are built with slopes 31, 44, 5-1, etc, the tie bar 85 is preferably marked with indicia designating a particular slope for each hole in the tie bar so that the desired slope can be obtained simply by aligning the hole 89 marked with the preferred slope with the holes 123 and 125 in the bracket 91. Then the pin 127 is inserted through the aligned holes to lock the fixture at this slope.

Next the locking pins 39 which clamp the slide 27 in guide 25 are loosened and the slide 27 is moved endwise through the guide to adjust the panel point pedestal 3 relative to the heel pedestal 1 until the pedestal 3 lies beneath the point where the upper end of the upper chord 15 will intersect the top chord 17 and web members 19 and 21. When pedestal 3 is property located pins 39 are again tightened to clamp the slide to the guide and thereby hold pedestal 3 against movement toward or away from pedestal 1.

Thus it will be seen that by just two simple adjustments the panel point pedestal 3 is properly located relative to the heel pedestal 1 to accommodate an upper chord 15 of the proper length and to position it at the desired angle or slope relative to the lower chord. Then the lower chord, upper chord, top chord and web members are placed on the pedestals and clamped in position. The upper chord is placed on pedestals 1 and 3 so that its lower edge abuts the left end of the lower chord and its upper surface abuts the stop 169 on pedestal 3. Lower chord 13 is located on the heel pedestal 1 so that the lower left edge of the lower chord meets the lower edge of the upper chord at a point which is in line with the axis of the pin 67 about which the slide and guide pivot. While only one end of a truss and the fixture therefor has been shown and described, it will be understood that the other end of the truss and the fixture therefor will be the mirror image of the structures shown.

Normally in building a particular roof several hip trusses are required, each of which has the same slope or heel angle While the upper chord 15 and top chord 17 of adjacent hip trusses are of different lengths. Thus in the fabrication of a plurality of hip trusses for a single roof the slope or heel angle (as determined by the pin and eye connection between tie bar 85 and bracket 91) will remain constant for each of the hip trusses but adjustment of the slide 27 in guide 25 will be required for the various trusses in the roof, and this is easily accomplished with the apparatus of the invention simply by loosening locking pins 39, extending or retracting slide 27 in guide 25, and then clamping the slide in position by tightening pins 39.

The fixture of the invention is associated with or secured for adjustment only to a heel pedestal rather than from both a heel and a lower panel point pedestal 5. The slope of the upper chord relative to the lower chord is adjustable to predetermined slopes simply by aligning the desired hole 89 in the tie bar with the holes in bracket 91. This angle can remain fixed while the spacing between the pedestals 1 and 3 is varied by movement of slide 27 in guide 25. The construction and mounting of the fixture is such that the longitudinal axis of guide 25 remains parallel to and offset from the axis of upper chord 15 in all adjusted positions. The fixture of the invention is relatively inexpensive, is easily adjustable for fabricating trusses of various sizes and/or shapes, and is easily mounted on pedestals of conventional apparatus, all of which makes it quite desirable. Also, the major portion of the fixture can be removed from pedestals 1 and 3 simply by withdrawing pins 67, 127 and 159, thereby freeing the pedestals for use in fabricating other types of structures.

The apparatus and method of the invention permits the location of the panel point pedestals to be established solely from the heel pedestals to be established solely from the heel pedestals and the lower chord, thereby establishing the heel angle of the truss as well as determining the spacing between the heel and the panel point pedestals. This is particularly desirable when manufacturing hip trusses because the panel point pedestals are relatively near the heel pedestals. None of the apparatus projects beyond the panel point pedestals where it could interfere with movement of an operator to positions along the top chord between the panel point pedestals. The fixture of the invention requires short lever arms and each of the panel point pedestals are independently supported and adjusted relative to a heel pedestal.

While the fixture has been described in connection with the fabrication of hip trusses, it will be understood that it can also be used for fabrication of other wood structures of various types.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is cliamed is:

1. A fixture for locating a panel point: pedestal relative to a heel pedestal of apparatus for fabricating hip trusses and other wood structures having an upper chord and a lower chord, the fixture comprising a guide,

means for mounting theguide for pivotal movement in a generally horizontal plane about a substantially vertical axis which is fixed realtive to the heel pedestal and located substantially at the end of the lower chord on the heel pedestal,

a slide movable along the guide in a direction generally parallel to the upper chord, means for attaching the slide to the panel point pedestal,

means for fixing the slide in various adjusted positions relative to the guide, thereby fixing the spacing between panel point pedestal and the heel pedestal, and

means for fixing the guide in various adjusted angular positions relative to the lower chord, thereby determining the slope of the upper chord relative to the lower chord.

2. A fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein the gu1de mounting means comprises a bracket mountable on the heel pedestal, and an arm fixed to the guide and pivotally mounted on the bracket.

3. A fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for fixing the guide in adjusted position relative to the heel pedestal comprises a bracket mountable on the heel pedestal and a tie bar pivoted on the guide and adjustable connected to the bracket in spaced relation to said vertical axis.

4. A fixture as set forth in claim 3 wherein the adjustable connection between the tie bar and the bracket comprises a hole in the bracket, a plurality of holes in the tie bar adapted to be aligned with the hole. in the bracket, and a pin positionable in aligned holes in the bracket and the tie bar for holding the tie bar relative to the bracket.

5. A fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein the guide comprises an elongate hollow member open at both ends for receiving the slide, and the means for fixing the slide relative to the guide comprises a clamp member on the guide engageable with the slide for locking the slide against movement relative to the guide.

6. A fixture for locating a panel point pedestal relative to a heel pedestal of apparatus for fabricating hip trusses and other wood structures having an upper chord and a lower chord, the fixture comprising an elongate guide open at the ends,

an arm fixed at one end to the guide,

means mounting the other end of the arm for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis which is fixed relative to the heel pedestal whereby the guide is movable with the arm about said axis,

an elongate slide movable along the longitudinal axis of the guide in a direction generally parallel to the upper chord,

means for attaching the slide to the panel point pedestal,

means for fixing the slide in various adjusted positions relative to the guide, thereby fixing the spacing between the panel point pedestal and the heel pedestal,

a tie bar attached at one end portion to the guide,

a bracket monutable on the heel pedestal,

and means for adjustably connecting the other end portion of the tie bar to the bracket to fix the tie bar and thus the guide in various angular positions relative to the lower chord, the connection between the tie bar and the bracket determining the slope of the upper chord relative to the lower chord.

7. A method for fabricating a hip truss or the like, the truss having upper chords each of which is connected at one end to the ends of a lower chord to form therewith heel angles, the method comprising,

separating two heel pedestals by a distance substantially equal to the length of the lower chord of the truss so that the heel pedestals may support the ends of the lower chord and one end of each upper chord of the truss,

swinging two panel point pedestals about axis substantially passing through the lower chord and the heel pedestal until the desired heel angles of the truss are formed by a line between the heel pedestals and lines between the panel point pedestals and the heel pedestals,

adjusting the spacing between the panel point pedestals and the respective heel pedestals until they are sep- 8 larated by distances substantially equal to the length of the upper chords of the truss being fabricated, positioning wood members substantially in abutting relation on the pedestals to form a lower chord between the heel pedestals and upper chords between the heel and panel point pedestals,

and securing the wood members together.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein a series of hip trusses with the same heel angles and lower chord lengths are fabricated by forming a first truss according to claim 7, and then forming additional trusses by adjusting only the spacing between the panel point peddes'tals and the heel pedestals to thereby vary the length of the upper chords in each truss of the series of trusses.

9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising initially locking the panel point pedestals in their respective angularly adjusted positions relative to the heel pedestals, and thereafter incrementally adjusting the spacing between the panel point pedestals and the heel pedestals for each successive truss formed in said series.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,983,292 5/1961 McKinley 144288 3,068,483 12/1962 Moehlenpah et al. 142288 3,068,484 12/1962 Moehlenpah et al. 227152 3,069,684 12/1962 Moehlenpah et al. 227152 3,100,301 8/1963 Black 227152 3,241,585 3/1966 Jureit 227l52 3,255,943 6/1966 Sanford 227-152 3,296,053 1/1967 Pischel 144-288 FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Primary Examiner. 

7. A METHOD FOR FABRICATING A HIP TRUSS OR THE LIKE, THE TRUSS HAVING UPPER CHORDS EACH OF WHICH IS CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE ENDS OF A LOWER CHORD TO FORM THEREWITH HEEL ANGLES, THE METHOD COMPRISING, SEPARATING TWO HEEL PEDESTALS BY A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF THE LOWER CHORD OF THE TRUSS SO THAT THE HEEL PEDESTALS MAY SUPPORT THE ENDS OF THE LOWER CHORD AND ONE END OF EACH UPPER CHORD OF THE TRUSS, SWINGING TWO PANEL POINT PEDESTALS ABOUT AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PASSING THROUGH THE LOWER CHORD AND THE HEEL PEDESTAL UNTIL THE DESIRED HEEL ANGLES OF THE TRUSS ARE FORMED BY A LINE BETWEEN THE HEEL PEDESTALS AND LINES BETWEEN THE PANEL POINT PEDESTALS AND THE HEEL PEDESTALS, ADJUSTING THE SPACING BETWEEN THE PANEL POINT PEDESTALS AND THE RESPECTIVE HEEL PEDESTALS UNTIL THEY ARE SEPARATED BY DISTANCES SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF THE UPPER CHORDS OF THE TRUSS BEING FABRICATED, POSITIONING WOOD MEMBERS SUBSTANTIALLY IN ABUTTING RELATION ON THE PEDESTALS TO FORM A LOWER CHORD BETWEEN THE HEEL PEDESTALS AND UPPER CHORDS BETWEEN THE HEEL AND PANEL POINT PEDESTALS, AND SECURING THE WOOD MEMBERS TOGETHER. 